Reid Uses Procedural Maneuver to Block Vote on Obama’s Jobs Bill

Senate Republicans sought to answer President Obama’s demands for a vote on his jobs plan this afternoon, but were thwarted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who used a parliamentary maneuver meant to block amendments on the Senate floor. Reid then proceeded to accuse Republicans of “obstruction” and engaging in a “political stunt.”

Reid used a procedural move known as “filling the tree” – a tactic Reid has perfected during his tenure in the Senate leadership. Filling the tree involves loading legislation with amendments until the limit is reached. Since the majority leader enjoys the right of first recognition – which means he can offer amendments before anyone else – Reid managed to fill the tree before Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could offer the president’s jobs plan as an amendment to a bill cracking down on Chinese currency manipulation.

McConnell said he would vote against the measure, but that the president is “entitled to a vote on his jobs bill.” With the president suggesting that Republicans were preventing consideration of the legislation, McConnell said, “I wanted to disabuse him of the notion that somehow we’re unwilling to vote on his proposal.”

Reid also confirmed during his floor debate with McConnell that Democrats would not present a unified front on the legislation – let alone capture the seven Republican votes needed for a filibuster-proof supermajority. “A majority of Democrats will support the president’s jobs bill,” Reid said, tacitly acknowledging that at least some would not.

Far from having notable support among the president’s party, Obama’s jobs bill has garnered no cosponsors in either the House or the Senate. Nonetheless, the president has on at least 12 occasions called on Congress to immediately pass the legislation – though Reid insisted that “’right away’ is a relative term” – and in some cases said that Republicans were blocking its consideration.

Obama’s 2012 campaign manager sent an email around the time Reid blocked consideration of the president’s plan. It had the subject line, “They won’t even vote on it.” That email mentioned House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, but not Reid.

The bill’s inability to gain traction even among members of the president’s own party stems from the unpopular nature of many of its proposals – and its accompanying offsets. “In the Administration’s poorly crafted and contradictory jobs package, the American people get permanent tax hikes that would enlarge the federal government to offset the cost of temporary jobs policies that would not create any jobs,” Heritage’s Curtis Dubay explained. “In the long run, the tax hikes in this plan are more likely to destroy more jobs than the jobs policies create.”

Join The Discussion

Reid is a conniving, manipulative slimeball. "Right away" is a relative term? What garbage. Yeah, maybe if you're reading from the Bill Clinton dictionary.

Bringing bills and proposals to vote is what the Senate is supposed to do, it's not a "political stunt." But you know what it is, blocking the vote then having the gall to call others "obstructionist." This guy is the quintessential sleazy politician, nothing more than a typical power hungry demagogue. What a joke he is.

Lots of cowards on Reid's/Obama's side! How little of a people can they BE? Democrats need their tattle tail troops professing indoctrinated ignorance across the country, while Reid doesn't seem to have his clock on SET time…hiding behind the dignified! GUILTY!

The president said it himself. "it's all paid for!" without saying how, of course! TEMPORARY JOBS so we can be temporarily employed! Careers, Mr. President. Get out of the way of permanent livable jobs/ careers and our freedom to challenge ourselves! Quit regulating industries that prevent employment! Quit holding us, this country back!

There is a common thread in this Democratic scenario and it seems to be that if we (the Democrats) TELL the people that failure to pass is the fault of the Republicans, THEN it must be so! Did the members of the Democratic Party have a mass lobotomy or are they just that ignorant of the facts?

My problem is that it is difficult for me to believe that the majority of American citizens are so illiterate, so "gimme" oriented or just dumbed down that they cannot recognize the truth when it spits them in the face! If this President cannot get his Leader of the Senate to bring the bill to the floor WITHOUT so much garbage tacked on so it will fail by design, then Big O had better find himself a new "main man!" I have full confidence that Harry Reid and Big O are in collusion on this matter, and BY DESIGN they are destined the bill to fail BECAUSE they know even their own party won't swallow it! AND they have a "tried and true" weapon to use against the Republicans!

So if it is convenient and it is expedient to blame the Republicans, that's okay. I would rather that my party did the right thing than to become one of the "sheeple" that dominate the Democratic Party!

I would recommend looking and Reid's table and then reflect upon how progress is to come. It used to come from passing a bill and then a conference between houses. Reid simply will not allow the process to work.

Does it not seem that relief legislation, that would lower taxes and reduce regulations, is temporary but burdensome legislation, that would increase taxes and regulations, is permanent? Why is Obamacare permanent, but Bush tax cuts expire or only get short-term extensions? While I do not support higher taxes or increased regulation, they should at least come with sunset provisions requiring their authors to regularly justify their existence.

Nowhere in the constitution can I find that the president should be writing legislation and sending it to congress with directions to pass it. Guess that must be covered in some Supreme Court decision. I always thought congress initiated legislation and if it passed both houses, it was then sent to the President for signing or vetoing. Where did I go wrong?

Another prime example of how low this Democrat Party has sunk. Let's face facts. Harry Reid was reelected only because of the unions and Dem operatives working to manipulate the votes and voter turnout in Las Vegas.

Yep, plus the lack of support the GOP Establishment gave Sharron Angle. It is my belief the GOP Establishment wanted Harry Reid to win in order to keep the Tea Party from gaining more credibility. Since Angle lost, they're able to point to her as an example of how Tea Party candidates can't win. So, maybe the GOP Establishment got what they deserved!

I would really like to know hat amendments Repugnant Reid filled this bill with. Of course it is a tax bill, and will further destroy our energy independence (as China rushes in to drill in Texas, Utah, and the Canadian Oil sands—to be delivered via the Keystone XL Pipeline paid for by American taxpayers, but owned by TransCanada). S 682 an infrastructure banking bill, authored by Kerry and sponsored by K. Hutcinson is included in the "Jobs Act."

S 652 creates another government authority: the AIFA–American Infrastructure Financing Authority…in essence an infrastructure "bank." Authority will consist of CEO, Chairman of Board, and a board of directors – appointed by the President, voted on by the Senate. This will play right into NAFTA (UN-Agenda 21), and again workers needed for any of the "infrastructure" projects will be manual labor, legal or illegal immigrant, and/or unions.
Purpose of the bill: “To facilitate efficient investments and financing of infrastructure projects and new job creation through the establishment of an American Infrastructure Financing Authority, to provide for an extension of the exemption from the alternative minimum tax treatment for certain tax exempt bonds, and for other purposes.” To find out how money will find its way into AIFA for financing read Section 202 (1) (A).

Don’t have time to read the Washington Post or New York Times? Then get The Morning Bell, an early morning edition of the day’s most important political news, conservative commentary and original reporting from a team committed to following the truth no matter where it leads.

Email address

Ever feel like the only difference between the New York Times and Washington Post is the name? We do. Try the Morning Bell and get the day’s most important news and commentary from a team committed to the truth in formats that respect your time…and your intelligence.